MANCHESTER United have bagged the biggest Europa League prize pot so far – despite finishing only third in the initial league phase.
United’s final match win at FCSB means they have landed £19.5million to date and also confirmed their place in the last 16.
ReutersMan Utd have landed the biggest Europa League payday of any club despite coming third[/caption]
GettyThe Red Devils pocketed £19.5m in prize money[/caption]
EPAFourth place Tottenham are second in the money rankings with £18.4m[/caption]
And Spurs, fourth overall, stand second in the cash rankings at the end of the first phase.
The North Londoners have banked £18.4m after recording five wins and two draws out of eight games.
The two Prem sides are ahead of Germans Eintracht Frankfurt, who dropped from second to sixth in the final standings after their defeat at Roma and who have earned £18.3m for their efforts.
Both Prem sides can earn a further £16.5m if they go on to lift the trophy in Bilbao on May 21.
Although one of them is likely to have to beat the final hosts en route to that feat, with Athletic Club a serious contender and second seeds behind Italians Lazio.
But by finishing third and fourth, United and Spurs now cannot meet each other until the final.
While the windfall for the two Big Six under-achievers is welcome, even the potential maximum they can earn from this season’s competition is less than HALF the £83m Liverpool have already made from the Champions League.
Aston Villa – England’s lowest earners so far even though they have qualified directly for the last 16 while Manchester City will discover on Friday if they face Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the first knock-out round – have already earned £58.8m, with Arsenal on £75.9m and City £62.7m.
Chelsea won all six league phase matches to top the Conference League standings.
But the Blues still only banked £9.03m with the possibility of adding a further £9m if they win the competition.
Who faces who in the Europa League?
Here’s a look at the ties across the competition…
Teams who finished from ninth to 24th in the Europa league phase will play off to decide who reaches the last-16.
PLAYOFF ROUND
Bodo/Glimt vs Twente or Fenerbahce
Anderlecht vs Twente or Fenerbahce
FCSB vs Royale Union Saint-Gilloise or PAOK
Ajax vs Royale Union Saint-Gilloise or PAOK
Real Sociedad vs AZ Alkmaar or Midtjylland
Galatasaray vs AZ Alkmaar or Midtjylland
Roma vs Ferencvaros or Porto
Plzen vs Ferencvaros or Porto
Winners of playoff ties will then face the teams who finished in the top eight of the league phase in the last-16…
LAST 16
Lazio vs Roma or Plzen or Ferencvaros or Porto
Athletic Bilbao vs Roma or Plzen or Ferencvaros or Porto
Man Utd vs Real Sociedad or Galatasaray or FC Midtjylland or AZ Alkmaar
Tottenham vs Real Sociedad or Galatasaray or FC Midtjylland or AZ Alkmaar
Frankfurt vs FCSB or Ajax or Royale Union Saint-Gilloise or PAOK
Lyon vs FCSB or Ajax or Royale Union Saint-Gilloise or PAOK
Olympiakos vs Bodo/Glimt or Anderlecht or Twente or Fenerbahce
Rangers vs Bodo/Glimt or Anderlecht or Twente or Fenerbahce
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